Chapter 119: Arena Challenge

The first round ended, and Wu Chengyu leapt down from De Yue Lou, landing on the arena platform.

"Wu Chengyu of the Wu Family issues a challenge; I wonder which expert will grace us with instruction."

As soon as Wu Chengyu signed up, the remaining martial artists among the onlookers buzzed with discussion.

"So this is Lasa Wuchang — a resounding reputation, never seen him before, but that build is simply terrifying; one punch would kill a man, wouldn't it?"

"Who knows if it's just hot air; wasn't that Dragon Chant Swordsman the same way? All dragon and sword, and he got kicked off the platform in the end."

"Judging by his stance, his body is so powerfully built, his arms sinewy and strong — he's definitely an external style master; against him, you absolutely cannot trade blows head-on."

"This kid is something — body so strong, yet he has white teeth and red lips, handsome brows and eyes; clearly not old, and this old man finds himself liking him a bit."

Shi Tong's subordinates conferred and sent out one of their two internal style experts, a man in his forties with high, bulging temples and long, slender hands.

They clearly also took Wu Chengyu for an external style master; given Wu Chengyu's current physique, even a fellow external stylist wouldn't want to clash head-on with him, so this man was the best choice to fight.

"I am Xiang Qiang; I never wander the martial world; today I come to lend a fist to the Shi Family — please, sir, instruct me."

Compared to the saber wielder just now, this man was far more composed; one would think that despite the ringing name of Lasa Wuchang, to an internal force expert at his peak he posed no real threat, so he didn't take it to heart.

Wu Chengyu also bowed with hands clasped in return, secretly pondering his tactics for the coming fight.

That Seven Pouches Beggar was still there; many things could not be revealed. Hong Qigong wouldn't pay attention to this arena battle, but since he knew Wu Chengyu, he might ask afterward; if he learned Wu Chengyu could split into many shadows and had astonishing lightness skill, everything would be exposed.

Also, when Hong Qigong met Wu Chengyu in the back alley, he didn't probe further, naturally assuming Wu Chengyu was an external style master; therefore, deep internal force could not be shown.

An external master who reaches a certain level can also project internal force outward — like Hong Qigong's continuous palm strikes leaving the body — so Wu Chengyu developing internal energy from the outside in is understandable; but at his age and training time, continuously striking out palm force across empty space would be far too conspicuous.

Wu Chengyu quickly settled on his fighting method; since people believed he practiced external kung fu, he would use an external master's fighting style.

Time was pressing; after bowing, Wu Chengyu didn't stand on ceremony, striking first with the Wu Family's most famous Yan Qing Fist — opening with Green Dragon Probes the Claw, right hand raised high to seize the opponent's throat, simultaneously striding forward with a knee strike aimed at Xiang Qiang's chest.

Same Yan Qing Fist, but in Wu Chengyu's hands it was momentum-heavy and force-sinking, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain; the right hand was a feint, easily dodged, but that knee strike combined with Wu Chengyu's overly tyrannical physique, like half a wall slamming straight across.

Xiang Qiang tried to evade with footwork, but discovered Wu Chengyu's speed was too fast; no matter which direction he moved, he seemed unable to escape the envelopment of Wu Chengyu's massive frame; with no choice, he pressed both palms together before his chest and took the heavy knee strike head-on.

Wu Chengyu not using projected internal force didn't mean he didn't use internal force; rather, he channeled a portion of internal force into his knee.

Xiang Qiang was an internal force expert; his double palms' internal force clashed with Wu Chengyu's internal force, and he didn't suffer too badly, but Wu Chengyu's sheer physical strength far exceeded his imagination, directly blasting Xiang Qiang two meters away, nearly knocking him off the platform.

This exchange finally made Xiang Qiang serious; he had originally thought Wu Chengyu wasn't yet sixteen — even with a title, what of it? The martial world is full of blowhards with loud reputations.

But this youth's tremendous power completely defied his imagination.

Wu Chengyu pressed his advantage without giving ground; the moment the opponent retreated, he surged forward in a single arrow-step; Xiang Qiang hadn't even steadied himself when he found Wu Chengyu already before his eyes.

Wu Chengyu executed a Strange Python Rolls Over — waist twisting, double fists striking high and low at Xiang Qiang — but at the last instant the fists turned into double claws, aiming to seize Xiang Qiang, then following through with a back throw.

Xiang Qiang dared not take it head-on; he hurriedly deployed his lightness skill, barely dodging Wu Chengyu's double claws; he realized his internal style kung fu fundamentally could not contend with Wu Chengyu's giant strength.

With no alternative, he used lightness skill, wanting to fight a roaming battle; Xiang Qiang's lightness skill wasn't great, but he reasoned that a big dumb lump like Wu Chengyu who trained external kung fu would surely have inflexible body movement, and he could definitely make Wu Chengyu scramble, unable to cope.

Alas, lightness skill was the pinnacle of Wu Chengyu's martial arts; not daring to use Shadow Splitting now didn't mean his speed and reactions were slow.

Xiang Qiang had just vaulted and tumbled over Wu Chengyu's head, landing at his side-rear, gathering force in both hands to sneak-attack Wu Chengyu's ribs — but before his hands even extended, Wu Chengyu had already slammed into him with a Back Mountain Lean; the explosive speed at close range was twice as fast as Xiang Qiang's lightness skill.

This time Xiang Qiang could no longer dodge; he barely raised his hands to block; the heavy Back Mountain Lean concentrated Wu Chengyu's whole-body power, more than double the ferocity of the earlier knee strike; his shoulder smashed squarely into Xiang Qiang's arms — not only knocking Xiang Qiang straight off the platform, but Xiang Qiang's arms couldn't bear the weight and snapped on the spot.

The whole process, from the moment Wu Chengyu moved, lasted only a few breaths; Wu Chengyu used a mere three moves, yet the Shi Family's expert was already severely wounded — not only losing the arena, but also lacking the capacity to continue defending it.

The most ordinary moves, the most savage power, the most unreasonable fighting style — though not as cruelly terrifying as personally making Yang Xiezi back in the day — this tyrannical, unrivaled bearing still stunned everyone.

This isn't merely a matter of spreading a nickname; this is a genuine, publicly witnessed battle record.

From today on, the various families of Gusu will put Wu Chengyu's name on their watchlists, warning their clan juniors not to lightly provoke him.

The surrounding crowd fell deathly silent at first, then instantly erupted, shouting in unison: "Lasa Wuchang!"

"Arena second round, Wu Family wins," the master of ceremonies proclaimed; everyone's gazes fixed on Wu Chengyu, especially Shi Chang's group, eyes bright with shock and anger.

Wu Chengyu bowed a circuit around the arena, left the platform, entered De Yue Lou, then greeted his three uncles and departed the scene.

Just after squeezing out of the crowd, Wu Chengyu also noticed a tail behind him; perhaps every martial artist leaving the scene would be tailed by Shi Family men.

Too bad there are few under heaven who can keep up with him; Wu Chengyu wandered a few turns through Gusu City's alleyways and shook his tail clean.

When Wu Chengyu appeared again, no one could recognize him; he had become the same look as when he fought Hong Qigong that day — stocky, slightly shorter build, paired with a Yan-zu face.

Based on intelligence provided by the family, Wu Chengyu headed straight west for Hu Qiu — the same direction Niu Dajie and the others had gone.

(Chapter End)